Electric switch



Nov. 8, 1927. 1,648,854

M. P. LUTHER ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Nov. 23, 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 NHRTIEI LUTH ER Nov. 8, 1927. 1,648,854

M. P. LUTHER ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Nov. 23. 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q kj 27221 0201? MARTINKLUTHER NM. k 1,543, 54

M. P. LUTHER ELECTRIC swn'cn Filed Nov.

1722/52?" y LUTHER I I I Patented Nov. 8, 1927.

. UNITED STATES, oFFicE.

Mlinrin'r. LUTHER, or CHICAGO, innrnoisflassron'on TO sense-sneer! ,swrron COMPANY, or cmcneo, rumors, A oenrona'rron or ILLINOIS.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Application .filed November 23, 1921; serial No. 517,213.

This invention relates to electric switches, and more particularly pertains to a novel and improved lock construction tor use in connection therewith.

The lock construction of the present invention has been described briefly in my 1copendi-ng application filed November 23rd, 1921, Serial No. 517,211,-and while I find its construction is peculiarly adapted to the switch described and claimed in said application, the lock is by no means limited to theadaptation there typified, but, for convenience it is here shown and described in connection-with a rotary swatch, like that de scribed in said application.

The primary aim of this invention is to insure safety in the operation of electric switches, oi either .the rotary type or any other type to which the invention is adaptable, without materialmodification, and it especially useful where the switch is installed inra cabinetand operable from without the same. its object is, first, to prevent the openingolt'the cabinet while the switchis in courseot movement from one extreme -po sition to another, second, to lock the switch against movement in any direction when the cabinet is open, and third,- to interlock the cover and switchwhereby neither the switch nor cover can be moved without one or the other being in, what may be te'rmed,'a predetermined sate position.

It is further aimed to mate -ially simplify the construction [and reduce thegcost of man utacture of switch locks. These :and other aims of said. invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and the claims.

In {the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of aiswitch cabinet with the cover open disclosing my im provedlock.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 2 2, Figure 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure taken on dotted line 3, 3.

Figure l is an enlarged sectional View taken on line 4, 4, Figure 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figures 5 and 6, are views similar to Figures 2 and 3, illustrating modified forms of the invention.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional view similar to Fig. 4; but showing the cover partially p n Referring more particularly to the draw.- m gs, 1O is a cabinet having sidewalls 11 and 12, endwalls 13 and a'bottomwall 14; a cover 15 being hinged at 16, to the sidewall 11. This cabinet may or may not be constructed in accordance with that shown, described and claimed in my co-pending application, filed November 23, 1921, Serial No. 517,212, which serves to house the electrical switch shownin said application,"although I do not desire to be confined to the use of such switch. i I i In Figure 1 of the drawinggl show a series of three correspondingswitches 17, 17, 17, thatare separably mounted upon a trans verse shaft, 18, and are adapted to engage female connections 19,,ot a construction-particularly described in theaforesaid co-pending application. Shaft 18 is journaled in suitable bearings 20 and 20 in the sidewalls lland 12, respectively, and the switches 17 are revolved into and out ofcontact with the iemale connections that ;,are seated in a suit able block "X of porcelain or other non conducting m aterial, Y

The {means employed .to interlock the 1 shattt 18 with the covercomprise disk 21, securely mounted upon and rotatable with shaft 18; Thisdislrconsists of two hall" sections 22 and 23 otditferent diameters, the ends of thesec tionof the larger diameter vaiiording shoulders 9A and 25 and provided with notches 26 and 27 diametrically opposite each other atsubstantially the point of meeting of the two sections. The shoulders and notches correspondto the extreme limits of motion of the switch, and are, preferably, 180 degrees apart, theaswitch, in the present instance, being constructed for movement through 180 degrees from open to closed 'po sition with relation to the terminals of the circuits controlled thereby. i

The cover 15, carries a segmentally curved arm 28, fixedly secured thereto at 29, and operating through suitable openings 30 in the sidewall 11 of the cabinet as best shown in Figure 4. The free end of the segmental arm 28 is laterallv bent at 31 to limit the distance to which the cover may be opened and to prevent the entire disengagement out of registration with the periphery of the section 22 of the said disk, and the body of said segmental member 28 will lie in one of the notches 26 or 27, of the disk, according to the position of the switch when the cover is opened.

In the eventthat it is desired to lock the switch temporarily in a full opened or closed position, a set screw 33 is providedin the larger section of said disk that engages the sidewall of the cabinet, or, if desired, engages positively in suitable openings therein to lock the switch in either position.

In the modified construction of the invention, shown, in Figures and 6, the construction and mounting of the disk is the same, and its general operation is identical with that shown in Figures 1 to 4, inclusive, with the exception, that, in this instance, an arcuate-plate or link 34 is pivotally connected at 35 to the smaller section 22 of the disk, preferably midway between the notches 26 and 27, the free end of said arcuate member 34, being connected at, 36, to a contractile helical spring 37 that has its free end anchored at 38, to the sidewall 11 of the cabinet. The purpose of this arrangement is that, in some instances, it is desired to main tain the switch manually closed at certain times, and to provide means for opening the switch when released by the operator and obviously while other means might be em ployed in lieu of that shown in Figures 5 and 6, I prefer to employ this modification in View of its simplicity, and, in view of its positive operation, because of the small amount of space it consumes. This will be apparent when it is seen from Figure 6, that the segmental member embraces the shaft 18 when the switch is closed, and at all times insures a practically rectilinear pull upon the spring 37.

Vhile the structure described and illustrated is to be preferred, in view of its simplicity, and positive operation, it will of course be understood that I reserve the right to make minor changes in the details thereof, which do not depart from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the claims.

WVhat I claim as new is:

1. In combination, an electric switch controlling one or a plurality of circuits, 9. cabinet for the switch, a closure for said cabinet, and means operable by the closure for locking the switch in either of its positions of control when the closure is open.

2. In combination, an electric switch controlling one or a plurality of circuits, a cabinet for the switch, a closure for said cabinet, means operable by the closure for locking the switch in either of its positions of control when the closure is open, and means for preventing the closure being opened when the switch is between its extreme positions of motion.

3. In combination, a cabinet, a rotary electric switch therein controlling one or a plurality of circuits, means for locking the switch in either of .its positions of control when the cabinet is open, and coacting means for preventing opening of the cabinet when the switch is on a cycle of motion.

t. In combination, an electric switch comprising rotatable circuit control members, a rotary shaft, upon which said members are mounted, a case for the switch, acover therefor, a disk on one end of said shaft, having notches corresponding to the on and off positions of the switch, and means carried by the cover for engagement with said notches for locking the shaft when the cover is open.

In an electric switch a casing, a cover therefor, a rotatable shaft, a circuit closing device mounted on said shaft, a disc having two peripheral notches thereon mounted on the shaft, and means mounted on the cover cooperating with said disc whereby the switch is locked either in its on position or in its oif position when the cover is open.

6. In an electric switch a casing, a cover therefor, a rotatable shaft, a circuit closing device mounted on said shaft, said device being rotatable through substantially 180 degrees from its on position to its off position, a disc having two peripheral notches mounted on said shaft, and means mounted on the cover cooperating with said disc whereby said switch is locked either in its on position or in its off position when the cover is open.

In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand this thirty-first day of October, 1921.

MARTIN P. LUTHER. 

